VIRGIL'S • Real Barbecue (part 1 of 4)

Sign at the Front Entrance in Nichols NY

New York City, NY  •  Atlantis Resort, Bahamas  •  Nichols, NY  •  Las Vegas, NV (soon)

It's been a long hiatus but the Phat Bastard is back and bringing you a rare gem.

Virgil's was established in NYC 22 years ago, then at the Atlantis Resort in the Bahama's 5 years ago;  now the 3rd location getting ready to open along side these prestigious properties will be in Nichols NY.

***** Let's back things up a few decades *****

In 1994 The Alicart family of restaurants proudly introduced their real BBQ concept to the citizens of NYC at 152 West 44th Street in the heart of Time Square.  This story actually starts in the spring of 1993 when Artie Cutler's would road trip across the south to find the best regional flavors for his new restaurant.     More history can be found at http://www.virgilsbbq.com/about/

Placemat showing Artie's Road Trip

Now on to why you are here.

DAY ONE of the menu sampling.

** Note: Practically Everything is made from scratch, in-house **

Plate #1 - Corn Bread (muffins)

This was a moist flavorful interpretation of the traditional corn bread.  Made with a medium texture corn meal, real corn kernels, buttermilk, sharp cheddar cheese, cilantro & scallions; served with a sweet butter. 

Plate #2 - Bag of Popcorn Shrimp

A favorite appetizer with a twist;  Real rock shrimp dipped in buttermilk and dusted with seasoned corn flour and cayenne pepper and deep fried.  If you have never had real rock shrimp; it is like a little piece of lobster tail.  The shrimp is then place on a bed of red pepper flake popcorn which has a little KICK to it. Included is a Remoulade dipping sauce (made from scratch).

Plate #3 - Trainwreck French Fries 

A plate of daily hand cut potatoes that are blanched then deep fried and salted. Now add Monterey jack & Cheddar cheese, Ranch dressing, Smoked bacon, Scallions and picked jalapeno peppers. This is an appetizer meant for more than just one person to have.

                                                     

 Plate #4 - BBQ Chicken Wings
These are not your everyday NY state wings;  each wing is the complete wing and weigh in at a quarter pound.  Marinated for 24 hours then smoked for an additional 3 1/2 hours.  Grilled and then tossed in Buffalo Wing Sauce. The 5 wings (10 pieces total) is served with a unique in-house blue cheese dressing

Plate #5 - The House Salad

 It's what you expect, or at least what I expect from a house salad.  A generous portion of Iceberg lettuce,  Spinach, Red cabbage, watercress, grape tomatoes, Kalamata olives and shredded carrots. Included is your choice any in-house made from scratch dressings like Balsamic vinaigrette, Mustard vinaigrette, Blue cheese and of course Ranch.

Plate #6 - The Roasted Chicken Southern Cesar Salad

Think a large classic Caesar salad as the foundation then head south of the Masson/Dixon line. There is the Romaine some red onions then they added buttermilk biscuit croutons. Now throw in some corn salsa, dry rubbed smoked and grilled chicken. Near the end they add Corn tortilla strips and Romano cheese. Finished off with an in-house from scratch Classic Caesar dressing with the use of anchovies.  This last ingredient although part of a classic formula it is a new concept to most of the restaurant dining in this are

                                             

Plate #7 & #8 - Pulled Pork & Pulled Chicken

This part of the menu is from the Carolina's (sauce vs. dry rub)

with a bit of Texas added in (the bread on the bottom)

• Chicken : Thighs, Thighs and only Thighs are used for this dish. Seasoned with salt & pepper then smoked for 3 hrs.  Once done it is added to BBQ sauce & Dry rub along with a vinegar BBQ sauce.
• Pork : Butts with bone in seasoned with salt, pepper & dry rub. After smoking for 14 hrs until tender, pulled from the bone then added to a vinegar BBQ sauce.

                                         

Plate #9 - Pork Spare Ribs
It doesn't get any simpler than this ... trimmed spare ribs seasoned with Dry rub, salt & pepper then smoked for 5-6 hours. This dish is taken from the Memphis, TN region of the country which means this meat is dry rubbed only and they like it that way. This method will give you tender meat but it isn't Fall-off-the-Bone and if you really want a saucy rib the folks at Virgil's have their own unique blend in a bottle at the table.

Plate #10 - Catfish Fried or Grilled 
Virgil's use farm raised catfish, this created a mild base flavor that you don't usually get with the catfish found in the wild. Drenched in buttermilk then lightly floured and seasoned before deep fried in canola oil or skip the fryer and throw it on the grill. Either way these were both great meals

Plate #12 - Banana Pudding
To wrap thing up I was introduced to a crazy rich dessert ... this blend of banana Carmel, pastry cream, whip cream & bananas is created in a magical process that takes several days.  This was an absolutely fabulous way to end the day and the meals.





If you looked at the picture you saw some interesting sides and garnishes, I will cover those at the in part 4. Just trust me ... they live up to the standards set by the entrees.

With Day One complete ... I find myself excited about the next dozen plates to be brought out and sampled.  I will say that the folks at Alicart have set the bar at a level that will challenge the local customer's belief on what is quality food and specifically Barbecue in the area.

Things that have been accepted as proper tasting pale in comparison to a product made fresh, by scratch in a traditional way - sometimes with a twist. To truly enjoy all that Virgil's has to offer you will have to leave your preconceived notions and what you are use to tasting from typical food in this area.

DAY ONE was a  HUGE Get, Get, Get, Get, Get in My Belly

Till next time ... Eat well my Friends
The Phat Bastard

The BeeHive Cafe



10 Frankin Street • Bristol, RI  02809

401.396.9994 •• http://thebeehivecafe.com/

This post we are taking a look at one of the Favorites from the days in Rhode Island.  This little gem in Bristol was always a special treat for us.  A fresh, healthy, organic as possible menu, there was always something for Alonnie (Healthy Hippie) to like and some things for me as well (not always healthy and not hippie).  Breakfast, Lunch or Dinner from pastries to burgers and all the stuff in-between ...  Quality is always on the ingredient list.

On our last visit we enjoyed items off the Lunch menu.  Alonnie got the BUTTERNUT SQUASH SANDWICH, I had the GRASS FED BEEF BURGER and we split a cup of TOMATO SOUP with basil pesto.

On our last visit OWNER Jennifer Cavallaro & CHEF Eli Dunn have a small cafe that is a big winner.  Yoda would say "Matter not size ... judge me by my size ... well you should not, for fresh quality food is my Ally."        Ok, I may have paraphrased a little but you get the point.

We truly enjoy all aspects of the BeeHive Cafe, and we make every attempt to stop in when we get back into the area. 

The BeeHive Cafe

ANVIL - Circle

ALONNIE - Circle

GET in MY BELLY SCALE - 5 out of 5

Till Next time ... Eat well my friends

Phat Bastard

CHAT-A-WYLE

 
 

8714 State Route 434 • Apalachin, NY 13732

Mon-Sat  11a-3p • (607) 625-2834



8714 State Route 434 • Apalachin NY






Hello again my phellow phood phanatics ... today we are looking at a GREAT little place just over the county line in Apalachin, NY. The Chat-A-Wyle Restaurant (The old Fox Farm) on Rt. 434 has been on our radar for years and is due a review.

From the outside it's a big old farm house with a full length enclosed front porch. As you walk through the door you are hit with a the familiar warmth of being at a good friend's home.  The rooms with the exception of the kitchen have all been converted to dinning areas with a variety of antique wood and metal tables & chairs.

 Today Alonnie and I went after the 1/2 Sandwich and Soup Combo.  Alonnie got the Portabella on ciabatta w/the Autumn Bisque Soup.  While I had the Chicken Marsala on ciabatta w/Autumn Bisque Soup.



   

Portabella on Ciabatta

 

Chicken Marsala on Ciabatta

Autumn Bisque Soup

The menu is small and uncomplicated which makes for a very consistent and tasty meal every time you visit.  There are some seasonal changes from time to time ... but the folks here do not try to reinvent the wheel, what works on the menu ...stays on the menu. FOOD is home made and always tasty.  PRICES are reasonable and affordable for most. The STAFF is friendly and helpful. SERVICE is quick and courteous.

 

 

CHAT-A-WYLE

ANVIL - Circle

ALONNIE - Circle

GET in MY BELLY SCALE - 5 out of 5

Til Next time ... Eat well my friends
Phat Bastard





 

Barnaby's Pub

Hello all ...
it's been a while but I am back with a WINNER ... BARNABY'S PUB in Endwell.  The Wife & I were looking for somewhere new for a lunch and found Barnaby's. 

We ordered the Big Boy Blue Burger for me and Alonnie got the Philly cheesesteak and an appetizer of chili cheese fries. Service was quick and friendly with the food arriving in a timely fashion.

 

The cheesesteak was REAL Steak shaved and not the thin, processed, frozen steak'ums that are often found in these sandwiches. The sides of coleslaw and pickles were a treat, especially the pickles, old style "Icebox" sweet chips that were reminiscent of Great-Grandma's own recipe.

 

The Big Boy Blue Burger was a double patty freshly made and cooked to order.  The sides of pasta salad and pickles were as fresh and delicious as the burger.

 

The Menu is a manageable size but has enough variety for folks to find something they like. We felt that the prices are reasonable and that with the food quality makes a meal at Barnaby's a great value. 

 

Barnaby's Pub

ANVIL - Circle

ALONNIE - Circle

 

GET in MY BELLY SCALE - 4 out of 5

Till Next time ... Eat well my friends

Phat Bastard

 

Full Belly Deli

There is NO False Advertising here ... The Full Belly Deli (FBD) gives you just that by the time you leave.  This place opened just about the time Alonnie & I moved to RI but now that we are back it has become one of our Favorite spots to go when we want a deli sandwich & some soup.

Johnathan (owner/operator) only uses Boar's Head products for his sandwiches and his soups, salads and cookies are made from scratch by him daily. FBD has the standard deli sandwiches but they also have a few unique signature creations that are always worth a try.

Click to Enlarge

 This particular day Alonnie and I were just in for a quick bit so we shared a C.E.O. (see the description above) a bag of chips and a Boylan Cream Soda.

 



Johnathan was there and we chatted while our sandwich was made fresh, right in front of us.  His friendly staff works quickly to prepare each sandwich to order.  There is a personal touch, a feeling that your more than just a sale, more than just a dollar sign. The day we were there it was getting close to 3pm (closing time on a Saturday) but no one was turned away at closing time, and no one  was rushed out after 3pm, that's not the way FBD conducts business.

When asked if Johnathan had thought about FBD franchising out and the response was simple ... not interested; this level of homemade quality is a hands on process, with a lot of "by memory" recipes that couldn't be easily mass produced, then shipped and still ensure the same consistent high standards. I would have to agree, FBD is a Unique place to eat because it is just that one-of-a-kind.

As the old joke goes : How do you get to a Franchised Deli?  Subway.
Not sure how old that joke is ... or if it is even a joke, but you get my point.

Full Belly Deli

ANVIL - Circle

ALONNIE - Circle

GET in MY BELLY SCALE - 5 out of 5

Till Next time ... Eat well my friends

Phat Bastard

 

RUBY TUESDAY

Generic Photo ... not the actual Location

Oakdale Mall •• Johnson City, NY

Monday-Saturday 10:00AM - 9:00PM , Sunday 11:00AM - 7:00PM

(607) 729-7550 •• •• www.rubytuesday.com

There are 3 guarantees in life ... Death, Taxes and Never saying Never.  When this blog was conceptualized Alonnie and I had said that we would never review chain restaurants, well here we go with our first chain restaurant.

It had been a long day and Alonnie convinced me to stop in to Ruby Tuesday for a drink,  we have been to Ruby Tuesday before and it was your typical chain food establishment, our expectation were not set to high, after all it was only drinks, and since they would be alcoholic drinks how bad could they be. As we walked in the door something seemed different, undoubtedly they had gone through a remodel since our last visit, it was warm and inviting.

The plan was drinks so we looked over the drink menu and selected an Ultimate Bacardi Mojito for me and a Raspberry Moon for Alonnie. The Raspberry Moon was a combination of Blue Moon Belgian White Ale & Chambord Black Raspberry, this was one of several unique beer combo's that were on the menu.

We had eaten a little earlier but decided to see the food menu as well, maybe get some appetizers.  Upon review of the menu we could tell that more that just the interior had received a remodel.  I opted for the Classic Tuesday Burger with a side of salad bar and Cheddar mashed potatoes. Alonnie ordered the Veggie trio (spaghetti squash & grilled zucchini) and substituted a baked Mac and Cheese for the third of the veggie. You can tell a lot about a restaurant by their Mac & Cheese.

 We helped ourselves to the salad bar which had a good selection of fresh veggies and greens along with a few salads and topping. The salad bar kept to the basics and was just the right amount of choices to make a nice salad without spoiling the main meal.

      

Our food arrived right on cue, just as we were finishing our salads, and it looked and smelled great. The veggies were cooked just right and the baked Mac & Cheese was just as well done.  The Burger was cooked to order and the mashed potatoes had a cheddar taste that wasn't overpowering or under appreciated, again just right.  The portions were a good size and the service was quick and friendly. 

Overall this experience Exceeded our expectations and we were very happy about that, what started out as just drinks ended up a full meal and a new place to go to when we are in the mood to explore more of a fun and tasty menu, both drinks and food.

Ruby Tuesday 

ANVIL - Circle

ALONNIE - Circle

GET in MY BELLY SCALE - 3 out of 5

Till Next time ... Eat well my friends

Phat Bastard

Running Brook Vineyard & Winery

335 Old Fall River Road

No. Dartmouth, Massachusetts 02747

Phone: (508) 985-1998 Fax: (508) 985-1998

Website: runningbrookwine.com

E-mail: info@runningbrookwine.com

While in Rhode Island we tried to stay as busy as possible.  Being 30 miles or less from 2 other states and within an hour of 2 more gives you plenty of options.  One of our favorite places to visit was Running Brook Vineyard & Winery.  This small out of the way winery was a vino gem just over the boarder in Dartmouth, Ma.

Alonnie and I found RBV while trying the wine trails in the area. This is a book and cover story, the outside of the Winery is very basic and nothing fancy. The inside is 2 levels, but the second floor isn't finished yet, and the main floor is tasting room, storefront, checkout and vat room all in one. The tasting is the FUN part, as rhetorical as that sound, it is ... the guys at RBV make it about you being able to enjoy and sample all that they have to offer.
Pedro Teixeira (Owner) & Manuel Morais (Owner and Vineyard Manager) along with the entire staff take GREAT pride in their product. Most times one or both are there working and doing the tasting with you.  They also have some unique selections that are not on the list but pride gets the better of them and they give you a taste of an upcoming selection or a rare bottle of something select.

Being use to the Finger Lake trails you have certain expectations of a winery and if you didn't know you were in Massachusetts, you might expect to see Cayuga or Seneca Lake in the background. Running Brook is a known name in the area, but you get the feeling that this is your winery and your little secret when you are there.

RBV runs events thru the year, usually a picnic type venue with a band for music. They also have an Adopt a Vine program where you can sponsor a grape vine and have wine made from that vine with your name on it. It's a cute program and makes for a unique gift.

They ship to several states including NY ... so give'em a try. We have found that their wines live up to the descriptions and then some.

Running Brook Vineyard & Winery

ANVIL - Circle

ALONNIE - Circle

GET in MY BELLY SCALE - 5 out of 5

 

Till Next time ... Eat well my friends

Phat Bastard